Rate Case Analysis
Comprehensive evaluation of every technical, financial, and economic dimension of rate cases before regulatory agencies — delivering the analytical rigour and strategic insight needed for optimal outcomes.
Comprehensive evaluation of every technical, financial, and economic dimension of rate cases before regulatory agencies — delivering the analytical rigour and strategic insight needed for optimal outcomes.
Rate cases are the cornerstone of the regulatory compact between utilities and the public they serve. They determine how much customers pay, how utilities recover their costs, and whether investments in infrastructure and service quality are appropriately rewarded. The analysis underlying these proceedings must be both technically impeccable and strategically compelling.
TAHOEconomics delivers exhaustive rate case analysis — integrating cost of service studies, revenue requirement modelling, rate design, and regulatory precedent into a seamless, defensible evidentiary package that advances our clients' interests at every stage of the proceeding.
Full-spectrum coverage — revenue requirements, cost allocation, rate design, and customer impact analysis.
Regulatory strategy — built from inside knowledge of how commissions evaluate and decide rate cases.
Expert testimony support — from direct testimony through rebuttal, cross-examination, and settlement.
Detailed modelling of utility revenue requirements, ensuring every cost component is properly substantiated and defensible.
Rigorous determination of the appropriate rate of return on equity and weighted average cost of capital.
Sound allocation of utility costs among customer classes using embedded, marginal, and causation-based methods.
Development of rate structures balancing revenue recovery, cost causation, customer equity, and conservation objectives.
Assessment of rate change impacts on residential, commercial, and industrial customers, including bill impact and affordability.
Technical and strategic advisory during settlement negotiations to protect client interests efficiently.
We begin by compiling and reviewing all relevant utility financial data, prior rate orders, existing tariffs, and the regulatory record — building a complete picture of the utility's cost structure and regulatory history.
Detailed financial modelling of the utility's test-year costs, rate base, and appropriate return — identifying both opportunities for cost justification and areas of exposure to commission scrutiny or intervenor challenge.
Development of cost allocation studies and proposed rate structures aligned with commission policy objectives, cost causation principles, and the strategic interests of our client — supported by detailed customer bill impact simulations.
Preparation of direct testimony, supporting exhibits, workpapers, and information request responses — creating a complete, internally consistent evidentiary record that withstands rigorous cross-examination.
Active support through the hearing phase — including rebuttal and surrebuttal testimony, cross-examination preparation, and settlement negotiation — ensuring the best achievable outcome at every stage of the proceeding.
What distinguishes TAHOEconomics is not merely technical expertise — it is the perspective that comes from having worked inside a state public utility commission. Dr. Blank's former role as Manager of Regulatory Policy & Market Analysis at the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada provides a critical vantage point that informs every aspect of our rate case work.
We understand the analytical lens through which commission staff examine rate cases, the policy objectives that drive commissioners' decisions, and the weaknesses that intervenors are most likely to exploit. This insider knowledge translates directly into stronger, more strategically positioned evidentiary presentations.
Experience representing utilities, consumer advocates, industrial customers, and government agencies — giving us unmatched breadth of perspective in any rate proceeding.
Every analysis is built on sound methodology, empirical data, and regulatory precedent — creating evidentiary records that hold up under the most aggressive intervenor scrutiny.
Complex economic and financial concepts translated into clear, accessible language for commissioners, judges, and non-technical stakeholders — without sacrificing analytical depth.
Rate case proceedings operate on strict schedules. We deliver high-quality analysis on time, every time — meeting filing deadlines without compromising the quality of our work product.
Contact TAHOEconomics to discuss how our rate case analysis expertise can strengthen your position and deliver the outcomes your organisation needs from its next regulatory proceeding.